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Welcome back to Rigs We Dig, our monthly series highlighting the people behind thoughtfully built adventure vehicles. This month, we’re featuring Dan and Marlene and their family who travels full-time. Their latest build is designed for life on the road. Built on a Ford F350 with a Four Wheel Camper Grandy Flatbed and Bowen Customs flatbed, their setup prioritizes off-road capability, long-term comfort, and the ability to stay off-grid for weeks at a time. After years of global travel and living out of previous rigs, this build reflects a refined approach to what actually matters when your vehicle is your home.
Your Names: Dan & Marlene
Location: On the road full-time
Rig Nickname: Mali Mish
Make & Model: Four Wheel Camper Grandy Flatbedwith a Bowen Customs Flatbedon a Ford F350 Super Duty Crew Cab Long Bed 4WD
Year: 2024
HEST products: Foamy (standard) x2, Fitted 50, Dually wide. Dually Extend, Down Comforter, Comforter, Camp Pillows, Pillowcases, & Seat Cushion,
What made you choose the Ford Ranger as your base?
We chose our truck for its rugged capability, reliable drivetrain, plethora of aftermarket upgrades, and its ability to carry our camper safely across any terrain, allowing our family to live and travel full-time around the world.
Can you give us a top highlight overview of your buildout and its key features?
We love our Carli Suspension, Toyo Tires, and Nomad Wheels. It has provided thousands of miles of off-road comfort without any failures. The flatbed replacement by Bowen Customs is a dream to use. It utilizes otherwise wasted space and holds our home on wheels safely and securely.
What were your main goals or priorities when designing and building your rig?
We wanted to have the utmost confidence in traversing backroads while living full-time out of our camper. We also wanted to have plenty of creature comforts as we all work/school from the camper. That means the ability to carry enough supplies to last weeks without resurfacing.
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced during the build process?
We built this entire rig while traveling on another continent in our old rig. That means we specced all of the components, ordered all of the parts, and organized all of the vendors involved in the build from afar via phone, email, and text messages. We were traveling in South America on the Pan American Highway while all of this happened, including ordering a brand new truck from Ford to our exact specifications. Our partners were amazing in helping us along the way. Especially Brent from Bowen Customs and our friends at Four Wheel Campers really went out of their way to make this happen.
How many dollar signs on a scale of 1 to 5 is your build (5 being the highest)?
Our cost for this build came in at a steep five $ signs. But we spared no expenses in this one since it is our permanent home on wheels. We have no regrets over everything we chose to make this dream rig a reality.
What products, brands, or upgrades are you most excited about in your rig?
How much time and effort did the entire process take, and was it worth it?
From the initial idea of doing a new build to seeing the rig come to life took nearly 2 years! Mostly, it was because we were managing the build from afar and relied on partners' flexibility to fit us into their busy schedules. Our rig was on display at Overland Expo SoCal 2025 before we returned from South America a week later, so all of the attendees at the show got to see it before we did. When we finally returned from abroad to find it waiting for us, we realized every bit of effort and dollar was worth it!.
What’s one feature in your rig that you’ve learned you cannot live without?
Of course we would be very sad without our HEST mattresses because it’s no secret that the factory cushions beg for at least a topper. But there are several things that we can’t imagine being without, and our GuzzleH2O water filter as well as the dedicated Dometic CFX5 freezer we have in the Bowen Customs flatbed garage.
Are there any features or upgrades you wish you had added (or done differently)?
Because we had lived in a 4x4 Sprinter van just before this, we do wish there was a way for us to have a pass-through from the truck cab into the camper. With our choice of flatbed and camper, it just wasn’t possible. But this is a sacrifice we were happy to make for all of the gains we got from the switch.
Where is the coolest place you have taken your rig?
We’ve been to 53 countries on 5 continents with our previous rig, so this one hasn’t gotten to experience all of those amazing places. But we did just return from 2 months in Baja California with this new setup. Baja California is one of our favorite places in the world, even after all the places we have been. We have big plans for our future travels, which include a lot of international locations that will likely put this new rig through its paces.
Do you have any advice for someone just starting their overland rig build?
Depending on your budget, there are a lot of choices out there in the overland world today. The beauty of building a rig today is that there is something for everyone. Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask questions about the products you plan to use. Both with the manufacturer and fellow travelers who have experience with the products. Our experience led us to know exactly what we wanted to have for this build. It is probably not the ideal way for someone just getting into the lifestyle. I would recommend going with more of the step-by-step approach so they can see how each upgrade works for them before committing to the next step.
